Means for and method of assembling metallic articles and the like for shipment



2,283,930 LLI C 1 s M 1. G m w H w M .F d e D n F May 26, 1942.

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING'META ARTICLES AND THE LIKE FOR SHIPMENT I i A' I 'l fl surface conditions on such Patented May 26, 1942 I MEANS non.

METALLIC ARTICLES AND THE r SHIPMENT 2,283,930 AND METHOD or assnnnvo non Don F. Hedges, Gary, Ind. Application May 13, 1941, Serial No. 393,296 3 Claims. (on. zit-10.5)

This invention relates to the shipping of metallic' material and, particularly, to an improved means for and method of assembling articles, such as metallic strip material and the like, into a shipping unit for shipment in railroad cars and the like.

Steel products and other metallic articles of smaller dimension, such as metallic strip material and the like, are required to be free from scratches and other surface imperfections onreaching the consumer, as the specifications for products are relatively strict. Consequently, it is important that these products be packed and transported so that they will be in the same condition when they reach the consumer as they were when they left the manufacturer, i. e., free from surface imperfections and other damage.

Heretofore, such products were usually banded together and shipped in railroad cars or some other vehicle, being securely locked in position on the car so as to prevent shifting thereof during transit, by means of cumbersome bracing and blocking, with an excessive amount of lumber. While such a method of bracing was satisfac tory in that it prevented the material or products from moving, it was expensive, both as to materials and to labor, due to the large amount of lumber consumed and time spent in making the necessary bulkheads and bracing. Also, such a method was tedious and extremely ineflicient.

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved means and method for firmly positioning such articles on railroad cars and the like during transit which is simple and inexpensive in its use and construction, and, at the same time, one which is effective and eiiicient in its use.

'In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a gondola type railroad car showing bundles of sheet material assembled therein for shipment in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a series of bundles line III-III of of sheet material showing my improved method It is 'another object of the invention to provide an improved means and method for firmly positioning such articles in railroad cars and the like, in which the amount of materials and labor required is reduced to a minimum, and, at the same time, a means which securely holds the articles in position so as to prevent movement thereof relative to each other and to the transportation vehicle during transit and which will insure the safe shipment thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent during the course of the following specification and will be particularly pointed In the accompanying drawing there isshown, for the purpose of illustration, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

out in the appended claims.

and means of strapping the same together; and -Figure 5 is an end view of the showing in Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, improved method of shipping articles of the class described consists, first, in arranging the metallic strip material in a plurality of bundles in a row upon the bedof the railroad car or other transportation vehicle with the bundles extending preferably longitudinally of the same. There is provided on the bed of the car or vehicle a plurality of spaced apart supporting members 2, and there is arranged between each of the bundies a plurality of spaced apart vertically extending members 3 for holding the bundles in spaced apart relation relative to each other in a horizontal plane.

According to the present invention, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing, there is vided a plurality of relatively narrow metallic binding straps or hands 5 preferably about 1 in width and of the proper length. One of the metallic. bands 5 is arranged around the bun-- dles, preferably at a point from 18 to 24" from each end thereof, and is positioned thereon preferably in the following manner: Each of the metallic hands 'a at each end of the row of bundles is first looped or directed around the intermediate bundles cr middle bundle i so that the free ends of the binding strap extend in opposite directions'away from the intermediate or middle bundle. One of the free ends of the binding strap is then directed down between the respec-* tive outer bundle t and the middle bundle l and approximately one and one-half turns around the .outer bundle 6. Theopposite free end of the binding strap is likewise directed down Icetween the respective outer bundle 8 and the center bundle i and likewise approximately one and one-haif turns around the outer bundle d. The free ends are then brought together above the bundles and securely fastened together as at 9, preferably by a conventional sealing means, so that the bundles are firmly bound together the and are adapted to be held securely in position so as to prevent movement of the same relative to each other and to the vehicle during transit.

While there are shown only three bundles in the present instance, it will be understood that any-number of bundles may be so wrapped or bound together with the binding strap being looped, as shown, around the intermediate bundles with the free ends being disposed at least a turn around the outermost bundles ,with the free ends being securely fastened together above the bundles as shown.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen i that there is provided an improved means for wrapping bundles of metallic strip material and the like, so that the bundles will be securely positioned at all times upon the car or transportation vehicle and will not tend to shift from position during transit. It will also be seen that the improved wrapping means of my invention can be easily and conveniently applied to the bundles in a minimum amount of time and the same can be removed therefrom with the least amount of efiort when the bundles of material 7 have reached their point of destination.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims. 7

I claim:

1. A shipping unit for shipment of longitudinally extending metallic material of the class described comprising a plurality of bundles of the metallic material to be shipped arranged in a row in side by side relationship upon the transportation vehicle, means arranged between each of said bundles for spacing the same from each other, a single bindingmeans arranged around allof said bundles adjacent each end thereof so as to firmly bind the same together, said binding means being disposed at least a turn around said intermediate bundles and at. least aturn around the outermost bundles, with the opposed ends of said binding means being securely fastened together above-said bundles, whereby the bundles are firmly bound together and are adapted to be held securely in position so as'to prevent movement of the bundles relative to each other and to the vehicle during transit.

2. The method of preparing longitudinally extending metallic material of the class described for shipment which comprises placing the metallic material in a series of bundles in a row in side by side relationship upon the transportation vehicle, arranging means between each of said bundles for spacing the same from each other,

' and arranging a metallic binding strap around all of the bundles adjacent each end thereof, said binding strap being first directed at least a turn around the intermediate bundle or bundles, then directing the free ends of said binding strap at least a turn around the respective outermost bundles and finally securely fastening the opposed ends of the binding strap together above said bundles whereby the bundles are firmly bound together and are adapted to be held securely in position so as to prevent movement of the bundles relative to each other and to the vehicle during transit.

3. The method of preparing longitudinally extending metallic material of the class described for shipment which comprises placing the metallic material in at least three separate bundles arranged in a row in side by side relationship upon the transportation vehicle, arranging means between each of said bundles for spacing the same from each other, and arranging a metallic binding means around all of said bundles adjacent each end thereof, said binding means being flrstdisposed at least a turn around the intermediate bundle, directing the free ends of said binding means at least a turn around the respective outermost bundles, and finally securely fasten- 0 ing the opposed ends of the binding means together above said bundles whereby the bundles are firmly bound together and are adapted to be held securely in 'position so as to prevent movement of the bundles relative to each other and to the vehicle during transit.

DON F. HEDGES. 

